20 year old Zachary Brooks is denied early release from prison after misleading police and threatening a witness in the Vera Jo Reigle murder investigation.
Brooks has served 13 months of a 4 year sentence in the Noble Correctional Institution. Hancock County Common Pleas Judge Reginald Routson denied Brooks' request for an early release, following a filing by Brooks' attorney Gene Murray, who believes prosecutors would not oppose placing Brooks on community control sanctions in the home of his parents, Kevin and Cheri Brooks.
The denial of early release comes after his first request was denied on June 12th. In August, an appeals court also rejected Brooks' bid for custody of the daughter he fathered with Reigle.
22 year old Daniel Bixler of Tiffin is serving a life sentence for killing Reigle in March of 2011, and will not be eligible for parole until he has served 40 years in prison.
